Agenda item - Public Involvement

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Agenda item

Public Involvement

To consider the following items raised by members of the public:

 

(a)       Petitions: To receive any petitions presented by members of the public to the full Council or to the meeting itself;

(b)       Written Questions: To receive any questions submitted by the due date of 12noon on the (insert date) 2017.

(c)       Deputations: To receive any deputations submitted by the due date of 12 noon on the (insert date) 2017.

 

Minutes:

39.1    Public Question from Linda Miller

 

39.1(A)           Linda Miller asked the following question:

 

I am sure the members of the Health Overview and Scrutiny Committee are aware of the level of public concern about ACOs:

·         the Judicial Review challenging their legality https://www.crowdjustice.com/case/jr4nhs-round3/, which has the support of Professor Stephen Hawking who said: “I am concerned that accountable care organisations are an attack on the fundamental principles of the NHS”.

·         the concern within the Conservative Party with the chair of the Health Select Committee, Sarah Wollaston, asking Jeremy Hunt to take note of public concern and pause the introduction of ACOs.

·         and the policy of both the Labour Party and the Green Party to oppose the introduction of ACOs.

ACOs will be non-NHS bodies which will hold the contract for allocating resources for health and adult social care provision for the population in each area.

They can include private companies which will make money and can introduce charging. They will be allowed to sub-contract services. Each ACO will be able to decide on the boundary of what care is free and what has to be paid for. They will be given multi-billion pound budgets in contracts that may last 10 or 15 years.

ACOs will have control over the allocation of NHS money – but their accountability for spending it and their obligations to the public will be under commercial contract not statutes.

ACOs will fundamentally change the NHS and are being brought in without parliamentary scrutiny or public debate.

I would like to ask the members of this Health Overview and Scrutiny Committee if they agree the Council should:  

- Pause the process of Brighton and Hove being part of any Accountable Care System or Organisation (or possibly re-named Integrated Care System),

- Conduct an Impact Assessment of the proposed cuts and changes to services,

- Publish the results and hold a Public Consultation.

39.1(B)           The Chair responded:

To date the council has not been involved in any discussion with NHS bodies with respect to establishing an Accountable Care System or Organisation or an Integrated Care System in Brighton and Hove.

 

Any council plans to change services which may significantly impact on service users would be impact assessed and would include public engagement.

 

39.1(C)           Ms Miller then asked a supplementary question: “will the HOSC provide details of plans for the sale of the Brighton General Hospital site?” The Chair agreed that a written response would be provided to this query.

 

39.2    Public Question from Valerie Mainstone

 

39.2(A)           Janet Sang asked the following public question on behalf of Ms Mainstone:

 

"Last Summer, a deputation of breast feeding mothers presented a petition against the cutting of a breast feeding support worker post in Hangleton and North Portslade. This was the Ward sixth from bottom in the 'league table' of breastfeeding in Wards across the city. The cut went ahead, and I understand that a Peer Support Group has consequently closed, for lack of professional supervision. Can the HOSC confirm the loss of this Peer Support Group, and say where Hangleton and North Portslade now stands in the 'league table' for breastfeeding per Ward?"

39.2(B)           The Chair responded:

 

a)    Sussex Community NHS Foundation Trust (SCFT) is commissioned by Brighton & Hove City Council (BHCC) to provide the 0-19 Public Health Community Nursing Service for children/young people. As part of this SCFT provides breastfeeding support services across the city. In the Hangleton & North Portslade area SCFT provides Baby Groups, staffed by a Healthy Child Practitioner (Nursery Nurse) and a member of staff from the local Children’s Centre (BHCC). A Breastfeeding Peer Supporter (volunteer) is due to start with the Healthy Child Clinic in the near future and may also be placed in the Baby Groups.

 

The Specialist Breastfeeding Coordinator (SCFT) has provided training to all the Nursery Nurses, who have undergone additional training to enhance their skills in order to provide the best care possible. They are highly skilled and work within a competency framework. All Healthy Child Programme teams have a Breastfeeding Champion Health Visitor to promote, support and provide expertise in this field. All Health Visitors are highly trained in breastfeeding support.

 

b)    We have not seen a significant change in the breastfeeding prevalence this year compared with 16-17.

 

In comparison, Q1 16-17 for Hangleton stood at 65.7% breastfeeding prevalence and in Q3 17-18 was 66.7%.

 

In North Portslade Q1 16-17 stood at 58.5% breastfeeding prevalence and in Q3 17-18 was 59%.

 

North Portslade continues to be one of the areas of Brighton and Hove that we are focusing on alongside East Brighton as they continue to have the lowest rate of breastfeeding in the city.

 

39.2(C)           As a supplementary question Ms Stang asked whether the HOSC would continue to monitor breast-feeding rates in Hangleton & North Portslade. The Chair agreed to provide a written response.

 

 

Supporting documents:

 


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